An Elyria man faces a likely sentence of 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to distributing heroin and fentanyl, including fentanyl that caused the death of an Elyria resident last year, law enforcement officials said.

The guilty plea was announced by Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland office, and Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely.

Siarres R. Noble, age 29, pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Noble’s plea agreement calls for a recommended sentence of 20 years in federal prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 17.

Noble admitted selling heroin and fentanyl at various times in March and November 2013, including fentanyl that he sold on November 8, 2013, which resulted in the death of an Elyria resident one day later.

“The drugs sold by this defendant killed a woman,” Dettelbach said. “Heroin and fentanyl use leads to death, destroys lives and damages families. This should send a clear message to drug dealers who are doing nothing more than selling poison, that we in law enforcement will work death and overdose cases back from the victims, identify who supplied them the drugs and hold them accountable for their actions.”

“State, local and federal authorities are taking the opiate epidemic very seriously, and drug dealers need to know that they will be held accountable for overdose deaths,” said Attorney General DeWine. “Not only are these dealers putting the lives of those they sell to at risk, but they are also putting themselves at risk of being locked up for decades in prison.”

“Information about heroin and other dangerous illegal drugs has become too common place in our daily news reports,” said Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Office. “The partnership between law enforcement, social services and the community must continue in order to further attempts to rid our territory of these highly addictive substances.”

Elyria Police Chief Duane Whitely said: “There is a serious drug problem in this country and it is important that law enforcement at every level take the steps necessary to combat the sales of illegal drugs. Sadly, in this case, the sale of drugs led to someone’s death. The weapon used may not have been a gun, but it is just as deadly.

“I want to thank everyone involved in this case for the effort they put into it. Starting with the response from Elyria Police Investigative Unit for responding so quickly to the spike in overdoses that led to the arrest of Siarres Noble for selling the drugs that led to the death. I appreciate the great working relationship with have with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office. It is the strong working relationship between all of these agencies that led to the federal conviction of Siarres Noble,” Whitely said.

This case was investigated by the Elyria Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert F. Corts and Vasile C. Katsaros and Special Assistant United States Attorney Margaret Tomaro of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.